New Venue The Flamingo Room Has A Leg Up

Photos by Marc Brubaker

​Astute readers of the Houston Press' and Rocks Off's local concert calendars might have noticed that a new venue is pulling some names into town. Sidled up to the Gulf Freeway just minutes from Hobby Airport, The Flamingo Room is Houston's newest mid-level venue.

Rumors of the establishment's launch have floated around for a couple months, but The Flamingo Room is finally ready to open its doors. Lined up on the agenda are shows for Molly Hatchet (June 18), reggaeton duo Chino y Nacho (June 30), Fastball (July 22), metal masters Lynch Mob (July 29), Taylor Hicks (Sept. 16), Blue Oyster Cult (Nov. 10), and Mickey Gilley, with many more to come.

Promoter Bob Fuldauer, formerly a partner in The Meridian before things really went sour, has been acting in an advisory capacity to property owner Gil Ramirez, and took us on a tour of the complex last week.

We say complex because The Flamingo Room is more than just a venue. Walking up to the building, it's immediately evident that the space is a bit different - the venue sits alongside Paco Joe's, a Latin restaurant whose menu focuses on Colombian, Venezuelan, Peruvian and Puerto Rican offerings.

Paco Joe's specializes in South American and Puerto Rican cuisine.

​"This used to be an office building; these were all cubicles and offices," Ramirez informs us as we join him at a table. "You'd never know, huh?"

Indeed, the structural change is impressive, but not without reason: Ramirez has his own construction company. Paco Joe's and The Flamingo Room are his first ventures into the restaurant and entertainment industries.

The restaurant is segmented, with the main floor hosting tables among the eclectic décor. An L-shaped addition called the Sun Room hugs the building, with a stage anchoring its elbow. Upstairs, an open balcony overlooks the main floor, with bottle service and a DJ booth, along with an outdoor patio.

The wash of the adjacent freeway traffic sounds like a roaring ocean, but Fuldauer informs us that bands on the balcony blow out the sound.

In addition, Paco Joe's boast a "Celebrity Room" in the rear, with large paintings of Santana and Selena donning the walls. Fuldauer says this space will be used for VIP meet-and-greets and signings. Behind this is a renovated conference room, lined with wood and glass cabinets.

"This'll be another room for a band to get drunk," Fuldauer declares, informing us that the cabinets will be full of tequila - hence its name the Tequila Room.